Ahead of Indian women's team's much-awaited tour of England, where Mithali Raj and her team are slated to play their first Test match in seven years, the white jerseys were handed out to the players on Sunday following a team meeting. Currently, Team India are in quarantine in Mumbai ahead of their departure for England. After receiving the jersey on Sunday, India's star Jemimah Rodrigues penned down a heartfelt post, saying, "We are playing for every single girl who desires to play this sport."
Rodrigues received her first-ever Test jersey from veteran Indian stars Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami.
"Something that's very close to my heart. Do read if possible," Rodrigues tweeted along with two pictures. In the first snap, the 20-year-old is posing alongside Mithali and Goswami after receiving her jersey. The second image is a snap of her Instagram post, where she poured out her heart.
"So today (Sunday) Ramesh sir (coach Ramesh Powar) called us for a team meeting and showed us the history we have of women's cricket in India -- from where it first started to where it has reached today... The ones who were before us that made it possible for us to be a part of what we are today. The ones who did it without the recognition they deserved, the ones who brought women's cricket to India," the post read.
She continued, "Then, the two legends of Indian women's cricket Mithu di (Mithali Raj) and Jhulu di (Jhulan Goswami) came up and shared with the entire team what cricket has meant to them and what it's like being a part of this Legacy."
Rodrigues also shared that the meeting ended with a "beautiful quote... Our greatest responsibility is to honour those who have been before us and those who will come after, to 'leave the jersey in a better place'.
"This series (tour of England) and the series here forth, we are playing for a far bigger cause than what we realise, we are playing for every single girl who desires to play this sport," Rodrigues concluded.
Cricket fans warmly received and appreciated Rodrigues for the note.
Former cricketer-turned-analyst Snehal Pradhan, wrote, "I'm not crying, you're crying."
"More power to you girl. You surely will continue to make us all proud," said a user.
"This is special for so many reasons. And thank you for writing that last line. Go kill it champ," wrote another cricket fan.
"We are playing for a far bigger cause than what we realise. We are playing for every single girl who desires to play this sport," a fan shared the quote on Twitter.
Rodrigues will be among several debutants if she would feature in India's playing XI in the one-off Test match against England. The historic match will be played in Bristol on June 16. Team India played their last Test match in 2014 against South Africa.